Diversity and Habitat Preferences in Lizard Assemblages (Reptilia: Sauria) from Model Territories in Western Bulgaria

摘要

The spatial niches and habitat preferences of six sympatric lizard species were studied in two model territories in western Bulgaria. The highest level of species diversity (based on two indices, Simpson and Shannon) was reported in the ecotone between oak forests and meadows. The spatial niche breadth was wider in the wall lizard Podarcis muralis and the eastern green lizard Lacerta viridis, while other species showed more restricted preferences to a particular habitat type. To our knowledge, this is the first purposeful research on the habitat preferences of lizard species of the Balkans, based on quantitative data. The results in the present work could be used in further and more detailed analyses.